


Day Ten: Mad House

by seleenermparis



Series: Fictober 2019 [12]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-09 15:43:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20997278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seleenermparis/pseuds/seleenermparis
Summary: Tali goes and visits a friend at a hospital. #meffictober2019





	Day Ten: Mad House

White walls and the smell of antiseptic wafted through her filters of her mask. Despite her people's progress shifting away from the environmental suit usage, being on alien ships or on other planets still required the Quarians to keep their suits on. She was greeted outside the ward by the nurse on duty. "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy?"

"Yes."

"Thank you for coming. We're hoping a familiar face would help. He's been more withdrawn than normal for the past week. We haven't been able to contact his bondmate, but once you messaged us about wanting to know what the protocol was; we took a chance."

"That's because she's dead. Her death triggered all o this. Tomorrow is their anniversary."

"Alliance still hasn't found her body?"

"If they had, no on knows about it." The two women walked down the hallway to the security doors.

"I see. I'm sure the rumors that are floating around probably aren't helping.

"Does he know?"

"No, but he's not dumb. I know he hears things." The nurse scanned the badge and continued down the corridor to their left. Once at the other end, they stopped at the doors for the activities room. "Good luck. Hopefully he'll come round if he sees you."

"Thanks." She pushed past the doors, once the nurse headed to the nurse's station. Tali ignored the loud pounding of the keys on the piano as she walked into the room. She scanned past the duo playing ping-pong to a couch where a lone Turian sat. As quietly as she could, she walked over to the couch and sat down on the arm chair next to it. If he saw her, he didn't acknowledge her. "Hi, Garrus."

He turned his head and said nothing. His eyes were distant and vacant.

"How are you feeling?"

He blinked, trying to figure out if what he was seeing was real. "Tali?"

"Yes, it's me."

"You're here?"

"Yes."

"I saw Shepard."

Under her mask, she bit her lip. Hallucinations. She'd been warned about those. He'd been diagnosed with a brief psychotic disorder which was triggered by Shepard's second disappearance. "You did?"

"You did?" He banged his hand on the couch.

"You said you did. You saw Shepard."

"Yes!" He growled. "Didn't you listen to what I just said?"

He banged his talon on the couch a couple more times.

"Sorry." She responded, trying to send a calming tone to him. "I was making sure I heard you right. I hadn't seen her yet. How does she look?"

He shrugged. His banging of his talon slowed. "Like Shepard."

It was then Tali noticed the bandages his arms. No doubt he harmed himself with his talons, again. The cause was concern was appropriate. Just like a switch turning off, he went back into himself. Suddenly Tali was glad he couldn't see her tears through her helmet.

*****


End file.
